Want To Get Fit? Set A Goal

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I don’t know how many times I told myself I was going to get fit for good and I would workout regularly for 2 to 3 weeks and then I would lose focus and stop working out. This cycle continued for years and years until the first time a friend asked me to sign up for a 5k.

Signing up for a 5k made me make exercising a priority. After all I had paid good money to race so I wanted to do my best (the perfect thrifty person motivator).

If being thrifty isn’t your thing though signing up for a race can still motivate you when you share it on your social media sites. Nothing like saying I am going to run this race to your 100’s of Facebook friends to keep you humble when you post pictures of you sitting watching TV on a Saturday morning when you should be running, and trust me a Facebook friend will remind you of that.

Your fitness goal does not have to be a running one but it does have to be SMART. Which means it needs to be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.

So how do you decided what a SMART goal for you at your current fitness level would be?

1. Figure out what area you want your goal to be in

What sport do you love most? Swimming? Set a goal to swim the same distance as a large body of water, by a certain date and chart it. Biking? Pick a destination near you that you could bike too and make a goal to do so.Strength based class? Pick a certain amount of weight you want to press, or a certain amount of one type of exercise you would like to do.

(remember to make these goals as public as you can and post updates so that people will hold you accountable)

2. Do your research

You might need to talk to a fitness trainer who could evaluate your current fitness level and give you a realistic idea of when you could safely hit the goal you wish to achieve. He or she could also help you map out how to train for your goal.

3. Stay Motivated

Learn more about your sport of choice. Read books and magazines about it. Like Facebook pages that share motivating sayings and pictures of it. Find people in real life near you that can join you in your love of it.

4. Don’t give up

I often face setbacks in my physical goals. I get injured or a life event comes up that makes training a non priority for a while but that doesn’t mean I give up on the goal I just extend the time it is going to take to reach it.

5. When you reach your goal set another

Was your goal to swim a mile continuously and you did it? Great now set your new goal at making it a mile and a half. Did you finally make it to the 10 pound kettle bell? Cool! Now set your goal on swinging the 15 pound one.

After my 5 k, I went on to do a 1/2 marathon and then a full marathon. Then I tried a sprint triathlon. This year my son and I are aiming to do a 70 mile one way bike trip together.

Making goals pushes you to keep trying and keeps you motivated. Goals keep working out exciting.

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Hi, I'm Victoria

Welcome to the Snail Pace Transformations blog where I share my tips for improving finances and home management one small step at a time. Why small? Because small changes are more likely to transform your life.